Combination corset-stay and dress-holder.



No. 679,480. Patented July 30, I90].

n. P. IIcKENNEY.

COMBINATION CORSET STAY AND DRESS HOLDER.

(Lppliation filed Feb. 18, 1901.)

Jjyd 1792 2 any style of. womans dress.

\ STATES PATN'r OFFICE.

DEBORAH P. MGKENNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINATION CORSET- -STAY AND DRESS-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,480, dated July 30, 1901.

Application filed February 18,1901. Serial No. 47,733. (No model.)

to make the dress set properly is the fact that although it may be made to fit perfectly there is a tendency on the part of the skirt to slip up or slide around and of the waist to draw up out of position. Heretofore the common 1: 5 practice has been to use pins or some similar means to hold the garments in place.

The object of my invention is to provide an adjustable stay to be attached, either ternporarily or permanently, to a corset which has a steel or anything of that nature, to

hold the dress skirt and waist down firmly in proper place. The need of such a device is especially felt with the present style of dressing low in front, although it is useful with So far as I am aware no device for this purpose has ever been made before my invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation, of one 0 form of device embodying my invention.

Fig. 3 shows the device of Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to use. Fig. a is a side elevation, partly in section, and Fig. 5 is a front elevation, of a modification. Figs. 6 and 7 are side and 5 front elevations of another modification.

Figs. 8 and 9 are side and front elevations of still another modification.

In the form of device embodying my invention, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 and 0 2 are strips of resilient material, preferably flat, which may be steel, brass, or other suitable material. Both strips are reversely turned at one end, forming hooks 3 4.. The strips are laid so as to overlap each other,

5 with the hooks at opposite projecting ends and on opposite sides, as shown. The bends are so shaped that the reversely-turned portions 8 4 lie nearly or quite parallel with the shank of the device. The shank must be not less than three inches in length in order conform to the iigure and to yield somewhat with the movement of the body. Means are provided by which the two strips can be allowed to slide upon each other, so as to shorten or lengthen the device and lock the two together when set at the desired length. One form of locking means is shown in the draw ings and is as follows: One of the strips, as 1, is found with a series of holes 5 at intervals, and the other strip 2 is provided with a stud 6, which will engage with these holes when brought into alinement. One of these strips, preferably the perforated one, has secured thereto a guard 7, which encircles the other strip in a manner to allow it to slide through the guard in extending or shortening the device. A loose sliding guard 8 e11- circles both strips. When the stud G is entered in one of the holes 5 and the guard 8 is slipped up against the stud, the two strips are securely locked together, the resiliency of the strips afiording sufficient tension to prevent accidental slipping of the guard. When it is desired to adjust the device to a different length, the sliding guard 8 is drawn back, and the resiliency of the strip permits them to be sprung apart far enough to withdraw the stud and allow the adjustment to be made, when the two will be again locked together, as before.

In Fig. 3 the device is shown connected with the garments as in use, the hook 3 being suspended on the edge of the skirt 15 and the other hook 4t engaging the lower edge of the corset 16, thus effectually preventing the skirt from slipping up. The book 3 may not only hook over the top of the skirt, but also may engage with any kind of a waist at the points where the waist is fastened together to hold the waist in proper position. This will be so readily understood that illustration is not deemed necessary. The device also serves as a stay and brace. The strips are preferably curved slightly to conform to the curve of the figure. I also prefer to attach to one of the strips or form integral with one of the guards a laterally-projecting clip 9, which will slip under the steel on the right side of the corset, so that it may be worn directly on the corset and be retained in place while changing the dress'skirt or while dressing. If desired, it may be attached to any underwaist worn in place of corsets by sew ing through the hole 21 in the clip. The hook 3, which projects over the top of the skirt, may be concealed from outside view by a belt or be of ornamental design and left exposed. I have shown it notched at the end; but this is not essential.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which is the preferred form, both guards 10 11 are fixed to the strips 12 13, respectively, one being attached to each instead of one being loose. The guard 10, which takes the place of the sliding guard and is attached to the strip 12, is formed with more space for the strips than is the guard 11, but has a spring 17, which keeps the two strips in close contact and prevents the locking-stud from becoming disengaged. The spring will yield to pressure when it is desired to unlock the two strips for purpose of adjustment.

In the modification Figs. 6 and 7 a single strip 14 of resilient material is shown formed with the reversely-turned hooks 3 4 at the ends, but being unextensible. This form of device embodies my invention, but being unadjustable it has to be selected to exactly fit the costume, and it would be necessary to have at hand a variety of sizes to accommodate difierent garments, while one having the adjustable feature may be used for almost any style of garment.

In the modification Figs. 8 and 9 the device differs from that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 only in admitting the clip 9.

It is obvious that Various means may be employed for locking the two strips together in difierent positions, so that the combination-strip will be Variable in length, and I do not intend to be limited to the particular means shown for acccmplishing that object.

While I have described and illustrated the device as applied to a corset, it is adapted to be used with any waist having steels, bones, or other stays worn instead of corsets. The same device may also be used to hold down the belt and buckle as well as the gown or dress. The device can be worn directly on the corset or over the underskirt or any clothing worn outside of the corset, except the outside skirt.

What I claim isl. A combination. corsetstay and dressholder of a length to extend from the lower edge of a corset to the waist-line, having a forwardly-extending, downwardly-turned hook to engage over the upper end of the waistband of a skirt, and having a rearwardly-extending upturned hook to take around the lower edge of the corset, and shaped to constitute a flexible stay conformed to the figure of the wearer, substantially as described.

2. A combination corset-stay and dressholder consisting OfaD extensible strip of resilient material comprising a plurality of strips connected together in such a manner that they may slide upon each other, means for detachablylocking the said strips together at intervals to produce a combination-strip of varying length, a hook at each end of the combination-strip reversely turned and on opposite sides of the strip, whereby the device may connect the skirt to the corset by engaging one hook with the skirt and the other with the corset so as to retain the garments in proper position, substantially as described.

3. A combination corset-stay and dressholder consisting of an extensible strip of resilient material comprising two strips overlapping each other, one of the said strips being formed with a series of holes longitudinally thereof and the other strip being formed with a stud which may be made to engage with said holes, guards which encircle said strips and hold them in alinement, one of said guards also holding the locking-stud in engagement with the hole to which it is set and being movable to permit unlocking of the strips, the outer ends of said strips having reversely-turned hooks on opposite sides, substantially as described.

4. A combination corset-stay and dressholder consisting of a strip of resilient material having at each end a reversely-turned hook, the hook at the upper end being turned outward to hook onto the top of the skirt, and the hook at the lower end being turned inward to engage with the lower edge of the corset, the strip having also a laterally-extending clip intermediate the two hooks to slip under the steel of the corset, substantially as described.

5. A combination corset-stay and dressholder consisting of-an extensible strip of resilient material comprising two strips overlapping each other, one of the strips being formed with a series of holes longitudinally thereof and the other strip being formed with a stud which is adapted to engage with said holes, each strip having attached thereto a guard which encircles the other strip, one of the guards being of suificient size to permit spreading apart of the strips to unlock them, and a spring which normally holds them locked, the outer ends of said strips having reversely-turned hooks on opposite sides,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my si gnature in presence of two witnesses.

j DEBORAH P. MGKENNEY.

WVitnesses:

WILLIAM A. COPELAND, ROBERT WALLACE. 

